PARTICK THISTLE midfielder Stuart Bannigan will travel to Inverness with Partick Thistle on Sunday still smarting from Scotland Under-21 disappointment.

The Jags midfielder broke into Billy Stark's squad in February, making his debut in an away friendly in Greece before playing in the European Championship qualifier against Luxembourg at St Mirren Park and in August's defeat by England in a challenge match in Sheffield.

Bannigan withdrew from the Scots squad for their Euro qualifier against the Netherlands in September through injury and was subsequently left out of the double-header against Slovakia and Georgia last week, a blow which he will use to spur him on.

"Obviously you don't like getting left out," he said.

"But you take it on board. I was happy enough to be in the squad before. I didn't think I would get a chance.

"So I will keep playing the way I am playing and hopefully I will get back in.

"I think it always does (spur you on), I think it does to most people.

"They would be lying if they said it didn't but, as I said, I will keep playing and hopefully I will get picked for the next couple of games."

Bannigan spent much of the time during the international break "pondering the loss" against Hibernian in Thistle's last outing when the home side dominated most of the game before losing to a late Liam Craig goal.

Speaking on Friday at Paperino's in the west end of Glasgow, where he was helping promote a new sponsorship deal between the restaurant and the Maryhill club, he looked forward to "three really tough games" in the Scottish Premiership with the trip to the Highlands followed by matches against league leaders Celtic and Aberdeen.

"I would say they are maybe the top three teams in the league so we will be looking forward to them," said Bannigan.

"We have played quite well away from home this season so we will be looking to get a win on Sunday, definitely.

"Inverness had a great start to the season and then a blip in their last game against St Johnstone, when it was 4-0.

"They will be looking to rectify that against us, just as we will be looking to rectify the Hibs game.